大慧普覺禪師宗門武庫 1.35

1.35

Xu Zhike was a native of Piling. He had once passed the prefectural recommendation exam, but failed in the ministry examination and returned. His boat moored at Pingwang in Wujiang. In a night dream, a person in white said to him, "You lack hidden virtue; that is why you did not pass." Zhike said, "My family is poor; I have no wealth to give to others." The person in white said, "Why not study medicine? I will aid your wisdom." Zhike then awoke, and on returning home put those words into practice. Indeed, he acquired the wondrous skill of Lu and Bian. Whenever there were sick people, regardless of noble or base, he examined them and gave medicine without accepting payment; the sick filled his gate and none were not cured. Later, he was recommended again by the local evaluation. When going to the Ministry of Rites, he moored his boat at Pingwang, and dreamt of meeting the former person in white, who gave him a poem saying: / 'The merit of dispensing medicine is great; / Obstruction stands between Chen and Lou. / In the palace hall when the names are called out, / The sixth shall be hailed as fifth.' / He pondered it but did not understand its meaning. Later, when the names of those who passed the examinations were called, he was originally sixth; because the one above him in the palace examination had passed away, he was promoted to fifth, which fell between Chen and Lou. Only then did he understand the earlier prophecy.